Coccidioidomycosis can be dangerous and life threatening. Imagine having fungal spores inside your body that multiply and shoot off like popcorn in the microwave and then continue to multiply in all parts of your body. It weakens the immune system, causes respiratory problems, can lead to meningitis when not stopped, and during the 1950's was actually considered by the U.S. Government to be a biological weapon. It isn't contagious. You must breath in the fungal spores. You aren't supposed to get it again but that obviously isn't true since my husband has a new full-blown case of Valley Fever. Was it caused by the residual disease that was dormant in his body or is this a new infection from spores that he breathed in when rototilling our garden? I don't know. I guess we would have to test the soil to know for sure. Interesting.
Since Coccidioidomycosis is endemic to the SW of Texas, California and Arizona, I can see that seniors should be careful when relocating to this area of the country. Stay inside when they excavate for new buildings and stir up the dirt.
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